You Can't Take it Back
by suzanami
Summary: In which Fuu is betrayed, Ferio is an idiot and Umi wishes she could take it all back. [FuuFerio with a side of UmiAscot]
1. Chapter 1

**YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK - Chapter One**  
_MKR_ & related © CLAMP, etc. Story © 2006 suzanami. Do not redistribute without permission.

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_You've got to swear  
That you've got love to love me that will last forever.  
We must have a story with a happy ending._

_So don't ever go away  
And never put aside the things I'm gonna say  
Cause these are the rules for us:_

_Use your eyes only to look at me.  
Use your mouth only to kiss my lips.  
We are branches of the same old tree.  
Don't forget that you're condemned to me.  
You always were, you'll always be._

-- "Rules"; Shakira

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Ferio felt horrible.

Not only did this bottle taste awful, but the reason he'd felt driven to drink it burned even more.

He and Fuu had had a spat not long ago.

She'd noticed that there was something wrong. She always noticed. He'd been upset for weeks now but on this most recent visit, he'd been just plain distant. And she was obviously growing more and more concerned.

When she'd confronted him about it, he'd tried changing the subject, ignoring her questions, and dancing around the topic. When she'd finally demanded, "Ferio, tell me what's wrong!" in that no-nonsense way of hers, he'd just spit it out: "Why won't you got to bed with me?"

Fuu was startled, obviously not expecting this. She was silent for a moment before replying slowly, carefully, "Because I want to be absolutely sure that we'll... never part ways. I don't want to share you with anyone..." Then her eyes became steadier. "And you know I'm not ready. I told you that before." Ferio sighed, staring straight ahead. "Hey, Ferio, would you mind responding?"

"Excuse me for being human," he snapped, trying to ignore how selfish those words sounded, how much they hurt even himself, let alone her. He wasn't able to look at her now, because he knew he'd see hurt in those deep, green eyes. "I just feel like I've been patient for two years now," his mouth continued, heedless of how selfish the words were.

"You waited for me when you thought you'd never see me again." Her voice was surprisingly harsh. She stood, placing herself directly in front of Ferio. "But now that you know I'm yours, you can't wait for me! As far as you and I know, we have the rest of our lives. But you want gratification now, now, _now_."

"Look, I'm sorry, Fuu," he replied, his tone not quite matching his words. "You're smart, you're beautiful, you're... you're sexy in your own way..." He trailed off as her face, already flushed with anger, burned a deeper crismon. "I just... What am I doing wrong? It's not _fair_, you know."

"Why are you being so selfish?"

He looked up at her, his eyebrows furrowing. "Why are you being such a whiny prude about it?"

She almost stepped back, her mouth agape. Ferio immediately regretted his careless words, even moreso when her palm struck his cheek and she turned on her heel and stormed away.

That was the last he'd seen of her that day.

Well, damn. He was a man with needs. She was being kind of immature about it, wasn't she? He'd waited this long without problem, but now he was getting antsy. Oh, hell, it wasn't just that she was beautiful; he really did want to express his love to her in the strongest way possible. He loved her, and he just felt like she was holding back from him.

Man, this stuff was terrible. It was pretty young. He took another swallow anyway, the burning in his throat almost a comfort.

"Where did you get that stuff?"

A voice behind him made him jump up, rather clumsily as he'd been drinking for a while now. "Umi," he gasped, trying to catch his breath.

The water knight frowned at him. "Ferio, was that bottle full when you started?"

"Uh, yes."

"Do you realize it's half-gone now?"

He hadn't. He looked at the bottle of dark liquid, at Umi, and back at the bottle. "I just, uh... Fuu and I..."

"I heard." Her pretty face twisted as her frown became a scowl. "You're such an ass, Ferio."

"I wha?" Damn, he _had_ had too much to drink. He couldn't even form a coherent sentence without thinking, let alone a snappy comeback. He was usually no match for the sharp blue knight anyway, but now he felt rather small under her steely gaze.

"I never thought you'd be such a pig when it came to sex. I always thought you were above that." She stared at him a moment more before sighing and sitting at the table he'd previously occupied. She pushed her long, silky hair over her slender shoulder. "She's been crying the whole time. Still is." Umi wouldn't let herself meet the prince's eyes. She was afraid she'd go off the handle and run him through with her rapier or something.

Ferio swallowed and sat across from Umi, setting the tall bottle between them on the table. "I don't think it's too much --"

"To ask?" Umi finished. She made a face at the far wall. "You really are an idiot, Prince." He huffed in reply, indignant. "You should know Fuu doesn't equate love with sex, and she wants to make sure that you guys have a sure future together before giving herself to you. She's a one-man woman, and doesn't ever want more than one lover." She finally looked at him, her blue eyes narrow. "You _know_ all that. Why are you being such a jerk?"

There was nothing but silence and the half-empty bottle between them for a few minutes. Finally Ferio muttered, "You're right. I'm an ass. A pig." He ran his ungloved hand through his hair, then propped his forehead in his palm. The woodgrain in the table was really nice. "I've been so stressed and tense lately that I took it all out on her." He scrubbed at his eyes, like there should have been tears there, but there weren't.

Umi finally turned to look at Ferio, although he appeared to prefer studying the tabletop. As angry as she was with him, he was still her friend and she was worried about the relationship not just for Fuu's sake, but for his, as well. Oh, sure, they'd gotten off to a rocky start. They were so much alike that their personalities grated against each other. But they'd both grown and were closer now. Not that she'd ever tell Fuu, but Ferio was quite a catch, and if she didn't have Ascot to smother with affection, she might actually find Ferio distracting. She and Ferio had a dynamic; most people didn't realize how close they actually had become.

It was frustrating for her to see Ferio like this. No one should ever drink alone in a dark pantry. It was pathetic. Well, she could at least keep him company. As long as he didn't bring up the situation with Fuu, she wouldn't -- at least not tonight. Tonight, he obviously just wanted to punish himself.

"It sucks to drink alone." The water knight's voice was less accusing and cold, and he looked up to see her grabbing the bottle with a slender hand. "You're entitled, but would you like some company?" She gave him a smile, even though it didn't reach her eyes. Gosh, but she was gorgeous; always had been. "I feel almost as shitty as you do," she added.

He gave her the same empty smile back and nodded. "Let's just drink until we pass out." He was surprised when she nodded solmenly.

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A serious headache.

That was the first thing that registered as Umi's mind awoke, fuzzy though it was. Damn, what... Oh, that's right. She'd been drinking last night. She was somewhat alarmed to find her memory blurry. Who had she been drinking with? Caldina? She usually drank with the tall dancer, even though Caldina could drink her under the table ten times over.

Ugh, Caldina usually put her in a dim room after drinking so much. Who'd left the stupid curtains open? She was barely awake, eyes still closed, but the morning sunlight still made her head pound.

As she became less groggy -- relatively so, anyway -- she was aware that her head wasn't the only thing that hurt. God, what was wrong? It was the completely wrong time of the month for cramps, and this didn't feel quite like cramps. The area between her legs was sore, so sore, and --

She felt someone stir to her left. Her eyes flew open, ignoring the pain the sudden light brought them. She turned her head to see a mop of wild, mossy green hair. No. Way. Nonono. Oh, God. No. She was still asleep. Yes, she was still asleep. She squeezed her eyes shut and pinched her arm. "Ow!" she squeaked and the figure next to her turned over. She suddenly wondered where her oxygen had gone.

His amber eyes were cloudy and groggy at first, then confused, then widened in shock. "Shit! What the hell!" was followed by even worse expletives as the prince flailed his limbs and consequently fell off the side of the bed. He swore again, nearly shouting, as he grabbed the sheets hanging off the side of the bed, pulling them to cover his dignity.

In doing so, he pulled the sheets that covered Umi, and she shrieked and pulled the sheets back to cover her chest, trying to hold on tight so he didn't pull them away again. This went on for nearly a minute before Umi shouted, "STOP!"

Ferio froze, the corner of fabric in his fist barely obscuring his deviances. His eyes were still wide open and he was cursing between breaths.

Umi felt her face become _very_ hot and she stared at the opposite wall, finally seeing that they were in his large quarters. Oh, Lord, no way. This was not happening. This was _not_ happening. She took a breath and managed to look at Ferio, though she couldn't meet his eyes. "Um... I think... I wasn't drinking with Caldina last night."

"Do I look like that Chitzetan tart?" Ferio shrieked, barely keeping his sanity under control.

"Shut up, shut _up_!" Umi yelled, clenching her eyes shut, wishing this whole mess would just go away.

"Well, do you think my shutting up is going to fix this?" he demanded. He sounded like he was about to hyperventilate. "We're dead! We're absolutely dead. Not only are we scum, we're going to be _dead_ scum when Fuu and Ascot find out about this!"

Umi's eyes flew open. Oh, no. Ascot. No, no no. She hid her face in her hands, trying to squeeze her tears back.

"We are in so much trouble. Hey. Hey, are you crying?"

She whirled to face him. "Yes, I'm crying you idiot! I just gave my virginity to someone I don't even love! And I can't even _remember_ it. Of course I'm crying! Why aren't you!"

Ferio gulped. "You were a virgin?"

Umi suddenly forgot about crying. Her face became red. "Of _course_ I am! You think Ascot's actually ready for sex! Please! I don't sleep around, or at least I didn't! God, you are _such_ a moron!"

He scowled at her. "Well excuse me for never thinking about your sex life."

"Oh, please, you're always flirting with me when Fuu's not around!"

"So are _you_! Look, I may not be a maiden or whatever, but I've never been with anyone before, either! I was supposed to give myself to Fuu, not _you_!"

Umi gaped at him, her eyebrows knitting together. "What's _that_ supposed to mean!"

"Wait, wait. Stop." Ferio shook his head, holding up his hands. When he did so, the sheet dropped away. "Augh!"

"Arrrgh!" Umi shrieked, covering her eyes. "Put something on, for God's sake!"

"Look away!"

"My eyes are covered!"

"Then don't peek!"

"You couldn't _pay_ me to!" As much as she wanted to keep trying to convince herself that none of this was happening, she knew that it would only keep her from sorting the situation out. God, her head was splitting.

The sound of vomiting in the washroom snapped her out of her reverie. She sighed and found one of his night-robes to cover herself. She peeked into the washroom to see Ferio in his undergarments, hunched over what passed for a Cephiran toilet. Pretty sanitary, actually. She always assumed there was some kind of magic involved.

"You okay?" she asked quietly from the door.

He spit leftover puke into the bowl. "I have a terrible hangover, I'm having a fight with the love of my life, and I just had a drunken one-night stand with her best friend, which I don't think is going to help the situation. I'm just peachy, Umi."

Umi slid to the floor, leaning against the doorframe. She closed her eyes. The morning light made the room rather bright and it was piercing her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Ferio turned, resting on his behind. "Why you? You couldn't've done it without me."

She winced, trying very hard not to think about that. "I suggested that we both drink together. It was irresponsible and stupid. I'm so sorry!" She pressed her face into her hands again and Ferio wished she would stop crying; it was really upsetting him even more. Umi was his friend, and despite the circumstances, he hated to see her so distraught.

Not like he wasn't. But his head and stomach were reeling too much to grasp the situation like Umi had. He just knew the facts: He'd slept with Umi, and now he was going to lose Fuu forever. Umi might even lose Ascot as well. And their friendship was ruined.

"No, it's my fault for being an ass to Fuu in the first place."

"Look, let's stop pointing fingers at ourselves," Umi suggested, cutting him off. "Can I _please_ wash up?" She had never felt so dirty. She wanted to take a cold bath for a week.

"I might have to puke again."

"I'll sit in the tub, so the walls go up to my chin. You won't see anything. Hell, I don't know if it matters."

"You know, I don't exactly _remember_ last night," he grumbled, shakily standing up.

"Well that makes two of us." Umi began pumping ice cold water into the tub. "We can't pretend it didn't happen. It would be an even bigger mess if we tried to hide this."

"Right, right."

"We need to figure out how to break it to them," she continued.

"Clef," Ferio replied.

Umi whirled around and immediately regretted it. Holding her head, she muttered, "Clef? Why on Earth --"

"He's good at dealing with... situations," was the stoic reply. "He'll know what to do. I'm going to lay down. Let me know when you're done. I want to clean off, too."

Umi wasn't sure if she should be offended by the way he said that or not.

_End Chapter One_

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A/N: Uh-oh! This isn't going to be pretty.


	2. Chapter 2

**YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK - Chapter Two**  
_MKR_ & related © CLAMP, etc. Story © 2006 suzanami. Do not redistribute without permission.

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_Well, you might as well have ripped the life   
Right out of me, right here tonight  
When through the falling tears you said  
''Can't you ever just forgive?''  
Well that's a mighty big word for such a small man  
And I'm not sure I can   
'Cause I don't even know now who I am  
It's too soon for me to say 'forgive'_

-- "Forgive"; Rebecca Lynn Howard

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"Enter," was Clef's reply to the knock on his study door. He looked up to see Umi and Ferio entering. They had a strange look about them, one that he couldn't place. "What's wrong?" he asked, not in the mood to mess around. The last thing he needed was more bad news.

The pair looked a bit startled by his brusqueness. "Ah, we need your help," Umi muttered, staring at the desktop across the room instead of at the man behind it.

"Obviously," Clef sighed.

"The old fart's psychic, I told you," Ferio whispered, earning a sharp elbow to the ribs.

Clef cleared his throat and stood, palms on his desktop. "Whenever you two are involved and Fuu isn't around to keep you in check, there's always trouble. What's wrong?" he repeated. It wasn't that he didn't trust Umi and Ferio... He just didn't trust them _in the same room_.

"Ah, well, it's complicated." Umi fumbled with her hands, twisting her fingers together. She was sure her face was five shades of red. "See, Ferio and Fu--"

"I'll take it," Ferio interrupted, looking at Clef but standing far from the desk. He didn't want to be too close when Clef was in a bad mood, let alone piling a "situation" on top of said mood. "See, Fuu and I had a... disagreement last night and--"

"I heard."

It was Ferio's turn to go red. "Ah... you heard, Guru?"

Clef raised an eyebrow. "Prince, half the castle has heard about that." He looked at Umi. "The fire knight knows no restraint."

"Fuu is going to _kill_ Hikaru," Umi murmured to herself.

"Yes, well..." Ferio coughed and stared past Clef at the wall. "After our confrontation, I... well, I was having a drink when Umi joined me."

"A drink. Right." Umi was getting to the point of forgetting her embarrassment. "Clef, he put away half a bottle of Fahren wine _all by himself_."

"Then you helped me," Ferio snapped, frowning.

"Prince, you know better than to drink so much Fahren wine. You could make yourself very sick." Clef's eyes passed from Umi to Ferio and back to Umi again. What kind of trouble had they gotten into that had them so snippy?

"We drank too much and woke up this morning... _together_," Umi blurted. All this beating around the bush was ridiculous, even though she was absolutely mortified to be telling this to Clef. She took a deep breath and resisted the urge to dig a hole in the floor to hide in.

Ferio pressed his hand to his eyes and mumbled something incoherent and Clef simply blinked with wide eyes.

"You... you _what_?"

"I helped him get drunk off his ass," Umi wailed, unable to keep her composure. "Then, apparently, we had drunken sex in his quarters." She was pacing now. "I'm a slut! I just slept with my best friend's boyfriend because I was _drinking Fahren wine with him in the pantry_! And now Ascot is going to run away with his monster friends into the desert so that he never has to face me again. Well, let me tell you something, Master Mage." She stopped pacing and faced Clef, pointing her finger at... something. "Ascot did nothing wrong! It was all me. And Ferio," she added, jerking her thumb at the confused prince. "I'll go live in the desert alone, with my shame and loneliness!" And she started to cry.

Ferio and Clef stared at each other. Umi was hysterical. This wasn't going well.

"Umi..." Clef finally stepped out from behind his desk and tried to calm the hysterical girl. "Umi, we'll fix this mess as best as we possibly can. Please stop crying." She actually shot him a dirty look and excused herself, slamming the large door as she left the room.

"I think... this is bad." Ferio scratched the back of his head. "I thought _I_ was upset. Is she okay, Guru?"

"She's no more upset than you are," Clef assured him. "She's just handling it differently."

"I feel like crying myself." Ferio leaned against the wall, rubbing his head with an ungloved hand. Actually, he felt like throwing himself into the sea off Windam's floating island. The symbolism alone was enough to make his headache come back. "She's going to hate me forever."

Clef sighed, taking a seat again. "Is Fuu really one to do that?"

"I don't even know how to tell her. This is awful. _I'm_ awful." He looked at the Mage with pleading eyes. "What am I supposed to do now?"

A light knock on the door startled them both. "Come in," Clef responded after he'd regained his composure.

As irony would have it, the delicate knight of wind stepped into the study. She was facing Clef and didn't notice Ferio standing against the wall behind her. "Clef-san, I just saw Umi-san in the corridor." She frowned, obviously concerned. "She was crying. When I tried to stop her to ask what the problem was, she pushed me away and kept running." Her gaze fell to the floor. "She was coming from your study, so I thought you might know what is wrong."

Clef coughed and mumbled, trying to beat around the bush. Finally, he looked past Fuu towards the doorway and she turned, following his gaze. Her eyes fell on Ferio, standing against the back wall. She couldn't read his expression, but he didn't look happy to see her. She prayed he wasn't still angry with her for smacking him. She took a breath and finally murmured his name. When she did so, he averted his gaze and ducked his head. "Is... is Umi-san all right?" she asked softly, becoming more worried by the second.

"Hard to say." Ferio's voice was flat and he still wouldn't look up at her.

Fuu's brows furrowed together as she looked back at the Mage, puzzled. "Clef-san? Is she all right?" she repeated slowly.

"Excuse me." Clef stood and quickly exited the room. Fuu's eyes followed him as he shut the door behind him, then they returned to look at Ferio.

"Ferio?"

He'd lifted his head, but his gaze was still downcast, his eyes shadowed by his wild hair. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but after no sound came out, he shut it again. Fuu stood, befuddled, as this continued for a few minutes. Finally he lifted his eyes to meet hers and she was startled to find them shimmering amber. He tried blinking the tears away, but the action just pushed them out of his eyes and down his cheeks. His mouth remained agape for a moment before he whispered, "I am so sorry."

Fuu's heart was pounding hard against her ribcage. "Feri--"

"Don't," he cut her off. He ran his hand through his hair before gesturing to a chair. "Just... you might want to sit."

"No," she replied firmly but softly. "What's wrong?"

She stared in horror as tears fell freely now. She'd never seen Ferio cry, not like this. Not with tears streaming down his cheeks. "What's wrong, love?" she whispered. "If this is about last night, I--"

"Stop." He scrubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I don't know how to tell you this so... I just will." He inhaled deeply and stared at the high ceiling before looking her in the eye. "After we... quarrelled last night, I felt terrible." Her eyes softened, and so did his resolve. He took another deep breath. "I was... I was alone in the pantry, drinking." He wished so hard that he could ignore the concern in her eyes. "Umi found me and we talked for a while. She, ah, she suggested that she keep me company, so we drank together." He looked at the floor. "I don't remember much after that."

Various senarios flashed through Fuu's normally cool mind, but she brushed them aside, never one to jump to conclusions. "I'm sorry I drove you to--"

"_No_, Fuu, you didn't do anything wrong!" She blinked as he slid down the wall, practically crumpling onto the floor. "_I_ did. _We_ did. Umi and I." His voice cracked.

Fuu wasn't sure why, but she was having trouble finding her breath. "What did you do wrong?" She knelt in front of him, wishing he would look at her.

He finally looked up. "I woke up next to her," he whispered, his voice different than Fuu had ever heard it.

She didn't move. She just stared at him with eyes that he couldn't read. "You..." she finally murmured. "You and Umi-san... slept together?" Her eyes shone with tears and God, how Ferio wanted to take everything back. She didn't stand, or move, or look away from him. He almost wished she would; he wanted nothing more than to see her smile, and here he was breaking her heart. He couldn't bear to look into her wide, doe-like eyes. He looked away.

When he broke their gaze, something snapped inside Fuu and she stood quickly, turning her back to her prince. "Fuu..." he began softly, staring up at her back, at her slender, trembling shoulders. He finally stood, not stepping any closer to her. "Fuu, there aren't words to express my regret, my shame. I am so... so sorry."

She turned to face him and his heart fell apart all over again to see her creamy cheeks streaked with tears. "You were both drunk?" was all she said. He nodded wordlessly and her hands came up to her face, covering her mouth and nose. She pressed her chin into her palms and let a sob tear through her, forcing her eyes shut. It was hard to hold them back after that. She didn't know if she wanted Ferio to hold her or if she wanted him to stay far away. All she knew is that she couldn't stop crying. Taking a deep breath, she wiped at her cheeks and whispered, "I can't talk to you now. I... When I can, I'll look for you in the gardens." Her voice broke off and she ran from the room.

Ferio stood in the empty room for several minutes, eventually falling into the chair he'd suggested Fuu sit in. No one entered the study again, leaving him to his tortured thoughts.

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_End Chapter Two_


	3. Chapter 3

**YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK - Chapter Three**  
_MKR_ & related © CLAMP, etc. Story © 2006 suzanami. Do not redistribute without permission.

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_Love breaks your heart  
Love takes no less than everything  
Love makes it hard  
And it fades away so easily  
Look at this place  
It was paradise, but now it's dying   
I'll pray for love  
I'll take my chances that it's not too late _

-- "Love Is"; Vanessa Williams & Brian McKnight

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"Umi-chan, please stop crying," Hikaru begged, reaching for her friend's shoulders. Umi was sprawled on Hikaru's bed, facedown. She had burst into Hikaru's room and just flung herself there, no explanation. All she'd said was that she wanted to be with Hikaru now, because she was the only person who wasn't going to hate her. Hikaru was beyond confused.

"I'm not crying anymore." Umi's voice was muffled as her face was smashed into a cool, white pillow. "I was just having a small breakdown is all." She rolled over to look up at Hikaru, blinking her eyes, sore from crying. How embarrassing to lose it like that!

"Umi-chan, what's _wrong_? Did you have a fight with Ascot, too? Why's everyone so hostile lately?"

"No, no, I didn't have a fight with him, not yet." Umi ran her hand through the part in her hair, tousling the soft blue locks to the side of her head. She took a slow breath and let it out through pursed lips.

"Well, what's wrong? You can tell me anything. You know that."

Umi fiddled with loose strands of her hair. "I don't know if I can yet," she replied softly, much to her friend's dismay. "Everything's gonna hit the fan soon enough." She pushed herself off the bed and tried tidying her hair in the mirror. "I'm sure you'll be hearing all about it very soon." Before Hikaru could inquire further, Umi pushed through the door to head across the hall to her own room . . .

. . . And practically ran into Fuu.

Umi thought _she_ felt terrible until she looked into Fuu's wide eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. No surprise. Oh, God, she couldn't even look at her best friend. Before she could look away, Fuu's eyes lowered to her hands clasped in front of her. "Excuse me," Fuu whispered, as if she was unable to speak any louder, brushing past Umi to her own bedroom.

Her soft, polite words slashed at Umi's heart. The water knight stood there, staring into nothing and wondering why she felt like she was choking. She heard Hikaru call softly after Fuu, then the sound of the door shutting. "Umi-chan?" Hikaru was at her back.

Unable to meet those innocent, cranberry eyes, Umi walked to her bedroom door, her hands resting on the handle. Her hands were trembling. "Hikaru?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know where Ascot is?"

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Fuu felt like she had swallowed broken glass. She hadn't cried this much since the legendary battle where she and her friends had killed Zagato and Emeraude.

She wasn't sure if this hurt more than that sad event or not.

Hououji Fuu wasn't one to wallow in her tears. She was usually able to see every situation without too much bias or clouds of emotion, but this... She hurt so bad that she didn't know what to think. _How_ to think. All she knew is that she felt more betrayed than she'd ever felt in her life. By the two people who knew her better than anyone. God, just thinking about it... She rolled onto her side, arms wrapped around her middle and moaned. She felt sick to her stomach and sick at heart.

Fuu didn't know how long she'd laid on her bed, sobbing pathetically. When she tired of crying, she sat up, rubbing her eye with her palm. Enough weeping. She had to stop sometime. Glancing out the window, she noticed the sun had definately changed its position in the sky. Good heavens, she'd been in here for at least an hour.

She splashed her face with cool water and tried to adjust her ruffled curls, sighing slowly. She was scared to death to even think about Ferio, let alone talk to him. Her mind was reeling and she wasn't sure what to make of this horrible mess. She did know that if anything was ever going to be resolved, she needed to talk with Ferio... and Umi.

That was going to be a treat. She leaned against the wall, staring into space. Ferio and Umi. He'd said they were drunk, but... A scowl spread over her pretty face. They should have known better than to do something so juvenile. Fuu rarely touched alcohol, but she knew Umi had a fondness for it, thanks to Caldina. And Umi knew Fuu disapproved, not that it was any of her business.

"Well, it's my business now," Fuu whispered. She wasn't passionately enraged or anything, that wasn't like her at all. At least, not at the moment she wasn't. But her hurt and shock had turned to seething anger, like a dull ache. She was angry at the situation itself and at two of the most precious people in her life. Angry at herself for not handling the situation last night with Ferio better. Maybe if she hadn't lost her temper and acted so stupid, he wouldn't have grabbed that bottle of wine. Maybe she could have prevented all this if she'd been more mature.

Pushing herself off the wall, she made her way into the hall and towards the gardens, hoping Ferio would be there... And that she could resist the urge to kick him in the crotch.

As luck -- or whatever -- would have it, Ferio was indeed in the interior gardens, though he was towards the back corner, as if he hoped she wouldn't find him there. She swore to herself that she'd be strong and not crumple seeing him feeling so bad. She was such a sucker for him, even still.

With footsteps as light as air, Fuu made her way to his side. He was sitting on one of the white stone benches, slumped over with his face in his hands. She bit her lip, remembering her resolve to not let him melt her. "If you ever touch wine again, I will kill you," she said softly.

She hadn't seen him move so fast since Hikaru and Umi had put Gak in his gloves last month. "Fuu!" He stood, trying to regain his composure. "Fuu, I--"

She held up a hand, indicating that he shouldn't let himself start babbling. That would get them nowhere. "Sit back down," she suggested, her voice neither pleasant nor hostile. He did, and she sat next to him -- a good two feet away. Taking a breath, she looked at her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry, I had to take a few... moments to let it sink in," she explained.

He wanted to laugh. _She_ was sorry? He was just glad she didn't castrate him with her sword on the spot.

"I want you to know that I'm... horribly angry with you," she continued. The usual sweetness in her voice was completely gone. Her delicate tone was firm and deliberate. "I know that I acted immaturely last night, that I didn't consider your feelings as much as I should have, and that I handled it very badly. Not that you were right," she added, looking up and focusing her gaze on some yellow flowers a few feet away. "But at least you were open with me about it. I, um..." She sighed. "I'm angry that you went to alcohol for comfort. It was a really unwise thing to do. Obviously." She finally turned to look at him. "I just don't know what to say to you."

Ferio blew his bangs out of his eyes, drumming his fingers on the cool stone bench. "There's nothing you should have to say," he said after a moment of very uncomfortable silence. "Can I ask you a question?" he ventured.

"I don't see why not."

His throat felt tight. "Are we... you and I... Is it over?" His mouth was dry and he swallowed nervously. He _loved_ her. How had he let himself do something so absolutely moronic and risk losing her?

She wasn't slow to answer. "I don't know," was the soft reply. She blinked hard and looked upwards, and he knew that she was fighting off tears yet again. "It's not like you purposely cheated on me, but _still_... I'm really not ready to talk to you at all, but I felt that if I put it off too long, I might never..." She trailed off, leaving him to wonder what the rest of her thought had been. "All I know at the moment is that I'm terribly hurt and angry. Of course," she added somewhat coldly. "That's putting it lightly."

Ouch. He knew, though, that she was treating him much more civilly than he deserved. She would've been completely justified to never speak to him again. Fuu wasn't likely to ignore him the rest of her life -- she had other friends in Cephiro, so she'd be around -- but it _was_ pretty likely that she'd never forgive him for this. She was beyond upset. Way beyond.

"I need more time," Fuu said quietly, getting to her feet. "I haven't spoken with... with Umi-san yet. I just... I need time." She never babbled like this. It was annoying her. Well... she had a tendency to stammer and babble when Ferio teased her but... She pushed those thoughts from her mind and turned to him. "I suppose I'll see you later."

"Guess so." He felt vaguely ill.

"Goodbye," she whispered, quickly making her exit.

Ferio wished she'd left it at, "See you later."

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Hikaru had never been so confused in her entire life. After catching Clef walking in the hall, she'd gotten the story out of him. He'd relayed the facts pretty plainly, but it was obvious that he was confused as well, and definately angry. She hadn't heard that tone of his voice in a long time; the soft, silky one that was dangerously light. Whenever he spoke in that tone, you could tell he was livid. The more generic his words were, the angrier he was. And he'd told her what happened in very simple terms. The guru was beyond livid. He was furious.

Hikaru wasn't sure if he was more angry at Ferio or Umi, or maybe Fuu? Maybe he was just angry at the situation. In any case, his usually cool blue eyes were blazing and she decided to avoid him until things cooled down a little. Apparently, everything had just exploded not two hours ago.

She had accompanied Umi in her search for Ascot, trying to get an explanation out of her the entire time. Umi kept dancing around the questions. It wasn't too long before they found the tall palu and Umi had excused herself from the redhead's company. It was about that time that Hikaru had confronted Clef.

Falling back onto her bed, Hikaru tried to organize the swirling concepts in her mind. Yeah. Never been so confused.

This was going to be just lovely. Two of the three Magic Knights were going to be rubbing each other like sandpaper, and that was if things went well. And Hikaru was going to be caught in the middle. For Pete's sake, the they were a _team_. It sickened Hikaru to think that something had actually managed to threaten the friendship that the three had protected for so long.

She sat up quickly. Definately not. She, Umi and Fuu had risked their lives many times to protect their friendship. It was the one thing that got them through every situation they'd come up against. She refused to believe that anything even as awful as this could tear them apart forever. The three personified the concept of best friends. This would test that friendship, but she believed with all her heart that they could get through it. Hopefully, having the strongest heart in Cephiro would help make that belief reality.

_End Chapter Three_

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**Author's Notes:** This is just a note to everyone who's read this story. First of all, please stop with the feminine double-standard and start calling Umi a slut or whatever if you think Ferio is a cheating bastard manwhore. It takes two to tango. They both drank too much and apparently did something moronic in their unhinhibited state that was out-of-character for them. I realize the story focuses more on Fuu and Ferio's relationship and how this hurts it, but you can be mad at the best friend, too; she's just as guilty.   
Two, most people don't scream and fly off the handle in rage when they find they've been cheated on, especially when they never would've expected it. I don't know what movies/show/books you've seen this scenario in, but in a situation like Fuu's, most people are too in _shock_ to yell and cuss. Most people would act more like Fuu did here, or Ascot, although we haven't seen him yet. Besides, Fuu doesn't throw a tantrum when she's angry.

All that said, sorry it's been so long. I've been too lazy to post:O Hopefully I'll put the next few chapters up sooner this time around.


	4. Chapter 4

**YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK - Chapter Four**  
_MKR_ & related © CLAMP, etc. Story © 2006 suzanami. Do not redistribute without permission.

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_Here comes the night, here come the memories   
Lost in your arms  
Down in the foreign fields  
Not so long ago  
Seems like eternity  
Those sweet afternoons still capture me  
I still believe, I still put faith in us  
We had it all and watched it slip away  
Where are we now?  
Not where we want to be  
Those hot afternoons still follow me_

-- "Someday Out of the Blue" © Elton John

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Umi desperately wanted to talk to Ferio, to ask him how it went with Fuu. Assuming that she'd actually chosen to speak to him, that is. Since Umi heard about what had happened after she'd run from Clef's study -- God, she was embarrassed about doing that -- her stomach had been flopping around like a fish on the sand. After talking with Ascot, she'd passed Clef in the hall and his eyes made her wary. Not a happy Mage.

As luck would have it, Umi, in her reverie, nearly smacked into Ferio turning a corner. "Geez, you scared me." Her voice was softer than usual, almost timid. Ferio seemed vaguely concerned at this, but just shook his head in some kind of reply. "Um... did you talk to Fuu?"

"Yeah." He scratched the back of his head and stared out a window. "Did you talk to Ascot yet?" He heard a slight choking sound and bit his tongue. Damn. Never mind. "She's really mad. And hurt, obviously." He sighed. "For the record, we might be through."

The very idea cut sharply at Umi. Fuu and Ferio had been into each other for three years now. They'd balanced Fuu's time on Earth and time spent in Cephiro very maturely and had grown into each other so much. Fuu had been so happy. And now some stupid decision on Umi's part was flushing it all down the drain. "Well..." She had trouble finding words; very unlike her. "Ascot and I haven't even actually officially... started a relationship or whatever. So I suppose it's over before it's started."

"Is that what he said?" Ferio motioned to her as he continued walking.

She turned and walked alongside him, her posture less confident that usual. "He didn't have much to say."

Ferio was slightly concerned at her vague replies, but he was much more concerned wth his own problems at the moment. He could only handle one disaster at a time, and there was nothing he could do to help Ascot and Umi. "Did Clef tell you he wants to talk to us tomorrow morning?"

"No, but I had a feeling he would want some little meeting soon enough. I passed him earlier and he looked fit to be tied."

"He wants all four of us there. Five really," he added. "He wants Hikaru there, too."

Umi stopped. "Hikaru? Why?"

"Because this is going to hurt you three as a group." He kept walking and she hurried to catch up with him again. "She's indirectly involved. Pulled two ways."

Umi grimaced. That was right. And the worst part was that it her own fault. "What are we going to do, Ferio?" Umi sighed.

"Ride it out," was all he said. "I'm going to get something to eat. Hungry?"

Umi shook her head silently and kept walking as Ferio turned towards the kitchens. She didn't know where she was walking. She just hoped she didn't run into anyone else. Of course, there were always people bustling about, but she had the distinct feeling that everyone knew something was wrong and was avoiding her. She was probably being paranoid. The "incident" had mostly been kept amongst the parties involved, thought she wasn't sure how long _that_ would last.

She stopped walking and leaned against a pillar. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to keep this whole mess contained between close friends. The last thing she needed now was for the entire castle to know about how idiotic one of their precious Knights was. Actually, the more she thought about it, the sicker she felt. She shook her head, trying to clear Ascot's green eyes from her mind, and resumed walking down the hall to an unknown destination.

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"Absolutely inexcusable." Clef was hardly able to control his temper, practically pacing in front of the young people he'd called to his office.

And they were not a happy group. Hikaru squirmed between Umi and Fuu, fumbling with her braid and staring at the floor. Umi's arms were crossed over her chest, her eyes following Clef's movements. Fuu's hands were clasped to her chest in her trademark posture, but she avoided eye contact with anyone in the room. Ferio was slightly behind her, afraid to get any closer. Ascot had been called as well, to his dismay, and he was lingering closer to the door, his hair obscuring his eyes.

It was only slightly uncomfortable.

Ferio had been right in saying that Clef would know how to handle the situation. As awkward as this was, if the involved parties kept dancing around each other in this fragile manner, all the relationships within the dance would crumble. They needed to talk.

Of course, what one wants to do and what one needs to do rarely line up.

"In all my years, I've never seen such irresponsible and reckless behavior amongst the Pillar's Court," he continued, using the now-defunct term. Umi swore steam was coming out of his ears. "Now, I've had a lot of time to think about what I have to say to each and every one of you, even the innocent parties," he added, glancing at Hikaru and Ascot. "But there _is_ nothing to say. It would be an understatement to say that you knew better." Umi and Ferio fidgeted under his icy blue gaze. "But we all know what the problem is. I want to know what you're all planning to do to keep this from snowballing into a complete disaster: a total collapse of relationships that up until now have been very strong." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Fuu nearly choked. What, it wasn't already a disaster? "What would you have us do?" she asked softly. She felt like kicking something, she thought. And Clef was just the right size.

Clef sighed and leaned back against his desk, rubbing at his eyes with the palm of his hand. "It's not my say in how your friendships work out," he said carefully, his tone less accusing. "But I advise you all to talk with each other and get your feelings out. The last thing we need is bottled-up hostilities. That only breeds future problems. Fuu, I hear you haven't spoken with Umi yet?" Fuu blinked and shook her head, face bright red. "You need to talk with her privately, then you three girls need to sit down and have a little heart-to-heart."

His eyes softened. "Cephiro has no current major threats, but you three -- and your friendship -- are strong symbols of the country's stability. As are you, Prince. Remember that." Having nothing more to add, he dismissed them from his study.

The group of five young people now standing in the hallway was beyond awkward. After a few uncomfortable moments, Hikaru plastered an overly-cheery smile on her face. "Hey, Ferio, I still really want to see those orange flowers you were telling me about. Can you show me them?" Appreciating the escape, the prince nodded. He glanced at Fuu once more before following Hikaru down the hall, his heart jumping into his throat as he met her emtpy gaze.

"I promised to help Caldina with something," Ascot mumbled, finally speaking. He ducked his head and took off in the opposite direction.

Leaving the Magic Knights of Wind and Water alone. Umi looked at her shoes. "Do you want to go somewhere more private to talk?" She lifted her head to look at Fuu, who nodded. "Let's head to my room," Umi suggested quietly.

It was an uncomfortable walk all the way to the Knights' quarters. Fuu really didn't want to talk to Umi right now, mostly because she had no idea what to say. Not to mention the fact that she couldn't even look at Umi without thinking about the blue-haired girl having been much too close to Ferio. Fuu just wasn't sure how she felt at all. So how was she supposed to talk about her feelings?

Umi opened her door and gestured for Fuu to enter. The blonde girl did not sit, just turned to face her friend. "Where should we start?"

Umi was bothered by Fuu's stiff tone. "Fuu, I'd rather have you scream at me than talk to me with such a hollow tone," she admitted. "I know you usually prefer to mask the way you feel, but please, just... don't."

Fuu blinked. Umi never begged like this. Sighing, she relaxed her posture slightly. "I'm afraid that if I let myself feel too much, it will be more than I can handle," she confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

"God, Fuu, you have no idea how ashamed I am. I wish I could take this all back."

"You can't," Fuu sighed, fumbling with the gold band around her ring finger. "I know that, somehow, you and I have to heal this... thing that's come between us. But I just don't know how to go about doing it."

"Are you angry?"

"I'm so angry I don't know how to say it." Fuu dropped her gaze to the lush carpeting on the floor. "I'm hurt and confused and it's painful to even look at you."

"You know, you're not the only one hurting."

Fuu looked up quickly. Umi's eyes were steadier, thought they were brimming with tears. "I know I did something so stupid that I can't even stand myself right now!" the taller girl continued. "I didn't just betray you, Ascot, and even Hikaru, I betrayed _myself_, my dignity. I know you're hurting beyond description and I can't apologize enough for that. Really. But did you ever think that maybe _I'm_ hurting beyond description, too? I have to deal with myself _and_ all of you!" Her voice fell silent and she bit her lip, blinking furiously at the hot stinging sensation in her eyes.

Fuu blinked and finally looked away, blushing, embarrassed. "You're right," she whispered. "This has been so hard for me that I haven't been able to see past myself and how I feel." This was added in a whisper, as if she didn't want Umi to hear the confession.

Umi flopped onto her bed. "Try being the guilty one. I wish you could look at me without wanting to punch me. I wish Ascot would stop looking at me the way he has been, not saying a word to me."

"I don't want to punch you." Fuu twisted her fingers. "I just... keep seeing it in my mind, you know?" Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat as if that would fix it. "It wouldn't hurt so bad if it had been someone other than my best friend."

"Look, no one's sorrier than me," Umi replied. "I'm the one that suggested we keep drinking. I should've been more responsible."

"Should have, should have," Fuu repeated. "You said it yourself, you can't take it back. We can't keep talking about what should have been done differently."

Umi scowled, aggravated. "If I say 'sorry' a thousand more times, _then_ will it appease you?"

Fuu opened her mouth to defend herself, but quickly shut it again. She was embarrassed at the way she was acting, but didn't know how else to express how she felt without crumbling into a sobbing mess. She hated being selfish, even when she was justified. It went against how she was raised, how she felt she should treat others.

Umi leaned forward. "I'll give you your space for now, but Clef is right: we have to work things out. We don't have a choice. It's not like we can just end our friendship and go our seperate ways. Our hearts are kind of rooted in Cephiro; I don't know about you, but I plan on continuing to visit. And that'll be more than a little awkward if we all hate each other."

"Space..." Fuu echoed, pressing her hand to her forehead. "I don't know how my taking time to think about things will make them any better."

"Just time for you to... deal with how you're feeling. We all need to do that now," Umi replied, staring at the bedsheets.

It was silent in the room for what felt like a very long time. Finally, Fuu sighed, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "We're going home tomorrow morning, aren't we?"

The blue-haired girl nodded. "Yeah."

"I think... We should keep the date that we're visiting Cephiro again. Next weekend." Fuu finally sat on the plush bench across from the bed. "It's break, so we don't have to worry about this distracting us from school." Umi felt lighter inside when Fuu gave her that amused smile that she hadn't seen in so long. "We'll sort ourselves out this week. So will the guys. And we'll talk about it next weekend."

"The three of us should meet up sometime during the week."

"I'll call you."

Umi nodded silently."It sounds like a plan." Fuu stood to leave. "Hey, Fuu?" The blonde girl turned at the sound of Umi's voice. "Ferio really loves you." Umi felt like she was choking.

Fuu smiled softly again, to Umi's surprise, though the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I know." She turned and pushed the door open. "And I know you do, too," she added as she slipped gracefully out of the room, leaving Umi blinking in surprise.

_End Chapter Four_


	5. Chapter 5

**YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK - Chapter Five**  
_MKR_ & related © CLAMP, etc. Story © 2006 suzanami. Do not redistribute without permission.

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_They say you can't go back  
Well, baby I don't believe that  
Come along with me  
Come on and dance with me  
Maybe if I hold you close  
Baby we could just let go  
Of these things that tie us down  
We'll come back around  
Do you remember?  
We were laughing  
We were so in love, so in love _

-- "We Danced Anyway"; Deanna Carter

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Ferio, Presea and Lafarga headed towards Clef's study. The Mage had called them to a small meeting and was testy when people were late. Especially lately. Everyone could see that something had been on Clef's mind, making him rather grouchy. His words from the previous week had surfaced in Ferio's memory: "Cephiro has no current _major_ threats" he had told them. The more he thought about it, the more concerned Ferio became.

The door to the study was open and the trio entered to find Clef behind his desk. Lantis was at his side. They did not recognize, however, the small, dark-haired man in burgundy robes. Ferio did note the royal emblem of the country of Fahren on his back.

"Guru?" Presea stepped forward. "You called us?"

Clef rose from his seat. "The reason that I haven't made this known to the court earlier is because we thought it would already be resolved. Unfortunately, negotiations haven't been going well this far."

Now the prince took a step nearer to the desk. "Negotiations?"

"The elders of the Fahren court greatly desire to use a large area of Cephiran land," Clef explained. "They wish to use it for a trading port, since it's almost an equal distance to the various trading posts of other countries."

"Bentley," Lagarga realized.

Clef nodded. "We've sworn to the people of Bentley that we would protect the village. Trading will bring in foreign riffraff and disrupt the people's lives, if not put them in dangerous positions."

"Then why don't we just tell Fahren to forget it?" Ferio rested a fist on his hip. "What's the complication?"

"The Fahren elders are very insistent," Clef explained. "While it would be uncomfortable for the people of Bentley, Cephiro would benefit from the social advantages of trade. The country is still in emotional recovery from the change in the support system," he added, referring to the abolishment of the Pillar system three years ago.

"We would restrict it merely to the town of Bentley," the Fahren negotiator piped up, straightening his posture even more as he spoke.

"It's unfair to the other countries for only Fahren to own the trading post," Clef countered. "We don't wish to engage Cephiro in politics like its neighbors. We are a utopia."

The dark man snorted and Ferio noted Clef bristle slightly. "Utopias do not sacrifice young girls to give up their lives and kill each other to protect the country's stability."

If Clef was bristling before, he was trembling with anger now. The Cephirans gathered knew that Clef was extremely sensitive on the topic of the Pillar system; he had never liked it and had been deeply shaken when the Magic Knights' hearts were ripped to shreds because of said system. He opened his mouth to speak but Lantis spoke first, preventing the Mage from responding in anger.

"A pure utopia is impossible," he said. "But Cephiro is much closer to being one now that the Pillar system has been abolished and the citizens uphold the country themselves." His azure eyes narrowed. "I assume your outburst is not representative of the leaders you represent."

The negotiator balked. Straightening, he recited, "If there is no further discussion, I await your representative."

Presea looked from Clef to the negotiator, then back to Clef. "Representative?"

"Fahren requested that if we couldn't come to a compromise, that a representative or two would go for an audience with Princess Aska and the elders," Clef said, motioning to the negotiator to get lost. The man did, bowing as he left. As the door shut behind him, blue eyes turned to those gathered. "The question is, who should I send?"

"I'll go, Guru," Ferio offered, stepping forward. "I'm the prince."

"Need I remind you, Ferio, that's an honorary title, as it was to your sister," Presea supplied, glancing at said honorary prince out of the corner of her eye. "Your parents were not kings. We don't exactly have a monarchy here. Even Emeraude earned her title more than you."

Ferio snorted, eyes darted to Lafarga for backup. The Captain of the Guard just glanced back at Clef. So much for help from Lafarga. "Guru Clef..."

"Presea's right," Clef said, almost smiling at Ferio's childish annoyance. "We need to send someone civil and level-headed. An ambassador that is comfortable working with the leaders of Fahren."

It was quiet in the room for a few moments. Suddenly, Presea's eyes lit up, quickly followed by Clef's and Lafarga's. "Of course!" Presea said, slapping her fist into her palm and making Ferio jump. "Fuu!"

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"Fuu-san?"

Fuu jumped, whirling around and grasping the edge of the kitchen counter at her back. "Kuu-san! You scared me half to death!"

"Then I'll be sure not to do it again," Kuu winked. "Oh, I'm sorry, Fuu-san. I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"I didn't know anyone was home," Fuu replied, palm pressed to her chest as she tried to calm her racing heart. Stupid adrenaline. "When did you come in?"

"When you were running the water, I think."

"Ah." Inhaling slowly, Fuu turned back to where she was making her small lunch. "I didn't expect you home from your examinations so early."

Kuu watched her baby sister as she carefully read the instructions on the instant miso soup package. Fuu had been detached the past few days, and it worried Kuu, always concerned about her sister. Fuu usually had a light in her eyes. Oh, sure, she'd gone through a couple ambiguous down periods, but Kuu knew that Hikaru and Umi were always there for Fuu. Her two best friends could always put that light back in her eyes; it was there whenever she came back from spending time with them, especially on Sundays.

But the past few days... "Fuu-san, are you okay?"

The blonde turned to stare at her older sister. "Why would you ask me that?"

"You've been so... so glazed over all week!" Kuu raised an eyebrow. "Did something happen?" When Fuu stiffened, Kuu knew she'd hit a nerve. "What is it, Fuu? Can't you tell me?"

Fuu opened her mouth to speak but was cut off as the phone rang. "I wish I could," Fuu replied quickly as she leaned to pick up the phone.

Kuu rested her cheek on the back of her fist as Fuu chatted on the phone. Little sister wasn't going to tell her what was wrong. She might as well give up. Kuu sighed as Fuu hung up the phone. "Well, if you want to talk, you know where to find me," she recited as she exited the kitchen.

"Right..." Fuu glanced at the still-uprepared soup and then at her watch. If she was going to meet Umi and Hikaru, she'd have to get going now.

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"The girls are here." Ascot's voice was low and unreadable.

Caldina looked up from her book. "How do you know?"

The summoner continued staring out the window. "I felt Umi's presence. They're here." Ferio was out the door before Ascot finished his sentence.

The prince practically broke the sound barrier tearing to the gardens where the Knights always arrived. Upon arriving, he slowed to a walk and tried to catch his breath, hoping no one would notice how quickly he'd tried to get there; least of all Fuu.

Indeed, the girls were just appearing in a flash of sparkling yellow light, their feet coming to rest on the ground beneath them. Like always, they slowly opened their eyes; Ferio couldn't help but notice less strain in Umi's. The three held hands tightly even after they'd looked around. They stayed together until Hikaru cried, "Lantis!", breaking from the group to jump into the darker man's arms.

Ferio frowned internally but brushed it off. He didn't come any nearer to where Umi and Fuu stood. Looking closer, he saw that the two still had their fingers linked together. His heart raced. Had the two come to terms? There didn't seem to be any obvious animosity between the two like last weekend. Maybe Fuu wasn't angry anymore!

Fuu murmured something to Umi, leaning close to her friend. Umi smiled in response and dropped Fuu's hand. The Wind Knight turned her head and Ferio's breath caught when her eyes met his. He couldn't read them, but the smile on her face was artificial; he knew her smiles too well to believe it was genuine.

He found her at his side. "Good morning, Prince Ferio," she said politely, and his heart fell.

"What's with the formalities?" he replied, not bothering to say hello.

Which she noticed. "You could at least greet me first." Her green eyes narrowed at him.

"Sorry." Following a whim and taking a risk, he found her hand and knelt, brushing his lips over the back of her fingers. He dropped her hand as he stood, satisfied to see a delicate blush gracing her cheeks. "Good morning, Knight of Windam." Her eyes, too, seemed to dim at the formal title. Like she hadn't been cold with him. "Is there a reason you greet me before anyone else?"

She averted her gaze, finding the stone path beneath them very interesting. "The sun is so bright," she replied softly. "I was wondering if you'd like to find a more shady area to talk." She habitually spoke at a much higher register than him -- which he always thought was adorable -- but today her voice was more formal and impersonal than he'd ever heard it. He knew her well enough to know that it was forced.

"It's hard to look at you with the sun in my eyes," the prince agreed, nodding his head towards a shadier area where vines grew in natural arches, creating a dappling green tunnel over the path.

He hated how far from him she walked. _I suppose I should get used to it,_ he thought, frowning. _If we're over, what more does she have to say to me?_

Fuu's voice broke into his thoughts. "Isn't it funny how the sun manages to break through the earth's plants?"

"Sorry?"

She stopped walking, looking up at the twisting, curving vines over her head, so much like Earth's own ivy. "The gold of the sun. It always finds its way through the green to get inside, to warm this tunnel with its light."

Ferio took a step back to see her better. Even when she hated him, she was breath-taking. Her chin was tilted up, one arm crossed over her belly, the other raised to her chin. She leaned her weight on one foot, her head tilted slightly as she gazed up, trying to see the sun through the leaves. The gold of the sun did indeed dapple through, washing over her delicate frame and making her glow. Tucking a honey-colored curl behind her ear, she returned her gaze to meet his. "What?" she blinked.

"Ah..." Ferio fidgeted. "You just have something on your face," he lied, taking the opportunity to brush his gloved fingers against her cheek, earning a soft blush. Trying to find the breath he'd lost, he turned and continued walking. "Did you want to talk to me about something?"

Her voice cracked when she replied. "I'm sorry for being so cold."

He stopped and turned. "What?"

She twisted her hands, looking away. "I... I've been thinking a lot this week, and Umi-san and I are doing much better, but... I don't know how to act around you."

"Is there something you want to tell me, Fuu?"

When he said her name, her eyes faltered. She stared at him for a long time with her always-melancholy eyes. She hadn't held his gaze this long since he'd told her what he'd done. God, but she was bewitching him, even now, with that viridescent gaze. He swallowed as his breath felt short. Her mouth finally opened and she spoke. "I haven't been able to bring myself to forgive you yet," she whispered, looking at him a moment more before turning and running back to where they'd walked from.

Well. That had been lovely.

_End Chapter Five_


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